Latch



Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,341 A. F. WINTERS 4 w l LATCH File d Deo. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l www Dec. 7,1926.

' A. F. WINTRS LATCH Filed DSC. 23, 1924 2 sneets-shet 2,

Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

ALEXANDER F. Vv'INTERS, 0F GRAND RAPDS, MICHIGAN.

LATCH.

Application filed December', 1924. Serial No. 757,645. .l

. made latch, all parts of which are of sheet metal so that the samecan be manufactured at a very low cost, and in which the latch is adapted for use on doors swinging either to thev right or to the left without change of structure in any manner. It is a further object and purpose of this invention to provide a latch of this character in which the latch lever, when turned to position so as to release it from its keeper, is automatically held in such position, so that when the door is closed the lever does not have to ride over any strike with a consequent strain on the door hinges or on the screws or other fastenings by means of which the latch is attached to the door; and as the door reaches substantially closed position the latch lever is automatically operated by its engagement against la part of the strike or keeper, associatedtherewith so that'it is released from the position to which it has been turned vand in which it is held, permitting the spring, which operates the lever, to throw the lever into engaging position with the keeper mounted on the adjacent door jamb or casing.

The construction by means of which these ends are attained, as well as many others not at this time stated but which will appear upon understanding of the invention, is illustrated in the acco-mpaiiying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the latch mounted on a door and the latch strike or keeper on a door casing, the latch lever being in the position it occupies after it has been released from the strike.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of a door and door casing, the latch and strike therefor being shown attached to the door and the casing, respectively.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal section through said latch and strike, the view being somewhat enlarged.

Fig. 4 is an under-plan view of the assembled latch, parts of the ends of the latch lever being broken away.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the two parts which are used in making theV latch lever and handle therefor.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rocker bar, in practice mounted on the latch lever.

Fig. i8 is an inverted perspective view of the latch housing or casing.

Fig. 9 is al side` elevation of the latch at the outer side thereof, the latch lever being shown in transverse section.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary under-planview of the latch lever with vthe rocker bar as-- sembled therewith, and 'y Fig. 1l is a fragmentary'enlarged longitudinal section through the latchl lever yand rocker bar shown in Fig. 10,'said lever and bar being in inverted position.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The door 1 and the adjacentvertical part of the door casing 2 may be of any well known type 'such as used with kitchen cabinets, cupboards or the like. On the door, adjacent its free vertical edge, a housing or casingis mounted the same being made from a single plate of sheet metal and formed with a raised housing portion 3, at the upper and lower ends of which projections 4 eX- tendand through which openings are made for the passagel of screws 5 in attaching the` latch to 'a door. The latch housing has opposite parallel sides 6 and 7 in the former Y of which an elongated slot 8 is out. The opposite side 7 also has a slot 9 longer 'than the slot 8, joining with which are recesses 10 cut at spaced apart points in the side 11 below the slot 9, and leaving a tongue 11 between the recesses which is turned inwardly into the casel at right angles as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. Directly below the tongue 11 the metal of the side 7 is pressed inwardly to make a projection or nub 12, the purpose of which will later appear. j

The latch lever 13 is made vfrom a bar of flat metal and isadapted to pass through the slots 8 and 9 in the opposed sides of the housing, one end of the lever being odset as indicated at 14 and adapted to extend beyond the free edge of the door 1. The pur-y pose of vthis offset is to take care of the socalled rise'of the door or the distance that its vouter side sets out beyond the outer side of the door jamb. Where the bar 13 passes through the slot 9 the ymetal is pressed downlll wardly making a catch projection which normally rides upon the tongue 11 heretofore described, as shown in Fig. 3. At a short distance from the part 15 an opening 16 is cut through the lever 13 and a part of the metal severed at such cut is' pressed. downwardly and then parallel to the bar 13, making a tongue 17. The opposite end ot' the lever is narrowedand shaped as indicated at 18 in Fig. 6, there also being two opposed notches 19 cut in the opposite sides of the lever. A handleV 20 ot sheet metal is .attached to the end 1.8, 'of the lever beine:

formed at one end with inwardly extending sides 21 which are clinched around the lever so as to make a permanent and secure connection therewith. rlhis handle extending over the door may be oif any appropriate and desired design and appearance as is evident. A bar 22 of metal is used in connection with the lever 13 and is located within the case adjacent the side 6 thereof. rlhe bar at its upper edge, as shown in Fig. 3, has feet 23 turned outwardly at each end there of to bear against the inner side oi' the side 6 oi the clase and isfurther formed with an inwardly projecting arm 24, the end por.- tion of which is offset at anv angle and terminates in an end lying in a plane parallel to the part 4 but a short distance therefrom; and at the lower edge of the bar 22 a second arm 26 is turned at right angles substan tially paralleling the arrn 24 as shown.

The rocker bar 22 is designed to be attached to the latch lever, the end 25 of the arm 24 passing over the tongue 1T while the arm 24 4is located under the lever 13 at the end oi' the opening 16, The notches 1 9 re-V ceive the upper edge of the bar 22 at each side ot the feet 23, thus providing a substantial and normally inseparable connection of the bar yto the latch lever. When thus attached and located within the latch housing the arm 26 lies below the latch lever and a coiled spring, indicated at S in Fig. 3, at

011e end passes @Ver the arm 26 and "at the other endl is seated against the side 7 of the latch ease, the 1mb 1.2 'Projecting into the end of the springand holding the Asame from undesired movement.

lt is evident that with a latch built as described, the latch lever may be turned in either direction. Nhen turned in one di.- rection one of the feet 23 bears against the side 6 of the case and the otherl is moved away from, the case, as shown in Fig. 4. The spring S is compressed and by reason of the line of force of the spring, located in a plane a distance from the plane ot the latchY lever 13, there is a tendency for the outer portion 1 4 of the lever 13 to move in? wardly; that is, the lever fulcrums on the inner edge of the slot 8 in the side d and the spring acting on the lever tendsto, turn its outer end inwardly toward the'tongue 11 so that the catch 15 bears snugly against said tongue. As soon as it passes beyond either edge of the tongue the lever moves still farther inward with the catch 15 seating in a notch or recess 10. The adjacent edge of the tongue 11 serves as an abutment or stop against which the edge of the catch 15 bears and the lever is held from return to normal central position under the inuence or the spring until such time as its outer end is moved tal. enough to release the catch 15 `from said tongue 11. Accordingly, when the lever 2O is operated in either direction from its normal Central Position, Suicen't that the catch 15 passes beyond tongue 11 the lever is immediately and automatically canght yand held from return to normal position.

""11 the. door Casingv er jemb a strike 0I' keeper 27 isl secured, the same being made from sheet metal and provided at its upper and lower ends with flat eyes 28 through which screws 29 are passed to secure the same to the door casing. The keeper includes an outwardly extending hook portion 30 having an upwardly and inwardly iuciined outer cam edge 31, there being a recess or slot 32 bac-lz of the hook into which the end 14 of the latch lever may be received. A projection 33 is formed on the keeper 27 a short distance above the upper point of the hook 30 and at the inner side of the slot 32. With the latch lever turned to a position such that it is held automatically by the engagement of the catch 15 against an edge of the tongue 11, when the door is closed the end 14 of the lever passes over the point of the hook 30 until it strikes the projection 33. On striking this projection the outer end of the latch lever is moved so tl at the catch 15 is released from the tongue 11, permitting` the spring to act and force the end 14 of the lever downwardly into the slot 32 and back of the hook 30. lf for any reason the lever should not be caught and held in position such that its end 14 is elevated above the point of the hook 30,-

then the lever will act the same as any other spring actuated lever, the lower edge of' th end 14 being turned upwardly as it ridex` upon the inclined cam edge 31 of the hook.

This construction is simple so for as Inanuiiacturing is concerned, all parts except the spring being of sheet metal which are readily blanked and formed with suitable dies. The` assembly of the parts is very simple requiring no machining or even tools for the purpose. Alatch made according to this construction, in large quantities, can be produced at exceptionally low cost. The latch is capable oi' attachment to a door which swings either to the right or to the lett without change or alteration in any re spect. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is' to be ,considered as comprehensiveA of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

l. In a latch, a casing, a latching member including a latch lever, a separable cross bar intertting connection to the latch' lever and having a rocking point at each end thereof to bear against a side of the casing, and spring means acting on said bar to press said rocking points against said side of the casing.

2. In a latch, a casing, a latching member including a latch lever passing through the sides of the casing, a separate bar having intertting connection with the lever located transversely thereof and adjacent one side of the casing, and a spring under compression interposed between the opposite side of the casing and the middle portion of said bar, substantially as described.

3. In a latch, a stationary support having abutment means, a latching means including a latch lever passing through said abutment means, a separable bar connected to and located transversely of the latch lever having a rocking point at each end to bear against said abutment means, and spring means pressing against the middle portion of the bar to normally force both of said rocking points against the abutment means.

4. In a latch, a casing having spaced apart slotted sides, a latch lever extending through the slots in said sides, a bar connected to and depending from the latch lever, said bar being` located transversely of the lever and extending below the same, the ends of the bar being formed to press against one side of the latch casing, and a coiled spring under compression located below and normally in alignment with the length of the lever, at one end bearing against the opposite side of the latch casing and at the `other end connected with the cross bar at its lower middle portion, substantially as described.

5. In a latch, a stationary support, a spring tensioned rocking means formed to be rocked in one or the other direction from a normal central position relative to the support about two spaced points, and means forv automatically holding the latch lever in either of two positions one at each side of its normal central latching position when the lever is moved to either of said positions, said spring acting to move the latch lever into position to engage with said holding means.

6. In a latch, a casing having spaced apart slotted sides, a latch lever passing through the slots in said sides, a separable cross bar having` interiitting connection with said lever inside of the casing and adjacent one of the sides thereof, and spring means disposed between the bar and the opposite side of the casing to press said bar against the first mentioned side of the casing, substantially as described.

7. In a latch, a casing having spaced apart sides, one o`f said sides having an elongatedk lever at a central position midway between l said two recesses, said means also acting on the lever to tilt the same and press 1t against the yprojecting portion between said recesses whereby on movement of the lever in either j direction from central position, the lever is tilted toward `said recesses to engage behind the adjacent edge of said pro'ecting portion, thereby holding the levertrom return to normal central position.

8. In a latch, a casing having spaced apariJ sides, one of said sides having an elongated rectangular slot therethrough and the opposite side having a longer rectangular slot with two spaced apart recesses joining with the slot at one side thereof, there being a projecting portion between said recesses, a lever comprising a flat bar extending through said slots in the casing, means for tiltably mounting the lever against the side of thel casing through which the lirst named slot is made to turn about two spaced apart points, and spring means acting on the lever to normally hold the same in normal central position between said recesses and to tilt the lever to force the same against said projecting portion between said recesses, whereby when the lever is moved in either direction beyond said central projecting portion it engages in the recess to which it is moved, thereby automatically holding the lever against return to central normal position.

9. In a latch, a casing having spaced apart` sides, a latch lever in the form of a flat bar passing through the sides of said casing, said sides of the casing being slotted to pass the lever, a cross bar attached to and depending below the lever bar at one side of the casing, said cross bar at each end adjacent its upper edge being formed with a rocking point to bear against the adjacent side of the casing, and said cross bar at its lower edge having an inturned arm, a spring under compression disposed between the opposite side of the casing and said arm, said slot in the opposite side of the casing having two inwardly extending recesses spaced apart and joining therewith with a projecting portion between the recesses, and a catch projection pressed from the lever bar normally seating in said recesses on movement of the bar in either direction a predetermined distance.

lO. In a latch, a casing having spaced apart slotted sides, a latch lever in the form of a fiat bar passing through the slots in said sides, said latch lever having an opening mede therethrough edjeoent one side of the easing and e tongue pressed from the ber et said opening, a cross ber located thansverisen 1y of and depending below ythe latch lever 5 bar formed at its upper edge between its ends with an inwardly extending arm .to pass through Seld openng'n the latch lever ber and engage Wlth stud, tongue and .formed adjacent its lower: edge with e second in: Wardly extending ann; end e @oiled spring passing around said afm at one end and at its oppgste end bearing against the opposite Side of the casing, Substantially es described.

1.11 testimony whereof I afx my ,signature ALEXANDER WINTERS. 

